Method and means for strand distribution

ABSTRACT

Method and apparatus for distributing strands on a collecting surface aerodynamically. Embodiments of fluid nozzle and air foil members divert the strands after the strands have had a linear velocity imparted thereto to selected deposition points without touching the strands. A sweeping distribution of strands back and forth across a collection surface can be obtained by controlling the flow of fluid through the nozzle, controlling the air pressure between an air foil and a strand, by changing the angle of attack of an air foil, etc.



1. Apparatus for uniformly distributing a strand on a collecting surface comprising a moving collecting surface, means for delivering a strand along a linear path to a diversion station including means for imparting kinetic energy to said strand to provide said strand with a linear velocity toward said collecting surface sufficient to carry the strand to a selected deposition point after passing a diversion station, said strand with said linear velocity having an air film stream surrounding and traveling with said strand, said diversion station including aerodynamic meanS positioned adjacent but not touching said strand and adjacent said air film stream for diverting the travel of said strand and said surrounding air film stream to said selected strand deposition point on said collecting surface without mechanical impingement, said aerodynamic means having an air foil surface means adjacent said air film stream with a trailing edge shaped to influence the direction of flow of said air film stream to change the direction of travel of the strand in said air film stream to said selected deposition point on said moving collecting surface to attain a predetermined uniform deposition of said strand on said moving collecting surface.
 2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 which further includes control means comprising means for varying the air pressure on the surface of said air foil surface means adjacent said air film stream.
 3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which said air pressure varying means comprises a fluid nozzle means communicating with said adjacent surface of said air foil means.
 4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 which further includes means for supplying a fluid to said nozzle and means for controllably varying the amount of fluid supplied to said nozzle.
 5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 which further includes control means comprising means for varying the relative angle of attack between said air foil surface means and said adjacent air film stream.
 6. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said aerodynamic means comprises a pair of air foil surface means positioned adjacent to and on opposing sides of said strand and said air film stream.
 7. Apparatus as defined in claim 6 which further includes control means comprising means for varying the air pressure on the air film stream adjacent surface of each of said air foil surface means.
 8. Apparatus as defined in claim 7 which further includes means for increasing the air pressure on an air film stream adjacent surface of one air foil surface means to cause said strand and said air film stream to move to and stay in an air flow juxtaposition with an air film stream adjacent side of said other air foil surface means, said strand and surrounding air stream staying in the latter position even though said air pressure increase on the air film stream adjacent side of said one air foil surface means is removed.
 9. Apparatus as defined in claim 7 in which said control means includes means for alternately varying the air pressure on said air film stream adjacent surfaces of said air foil surface means to cause said strand and said air film stream to move back and forth between said air film stream adjacent surfaces thereby distributing said strand on said moving collecting surface in a controlled sweeping action.
 10. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said air foil surface means comprises an air foil member surrounding said strand and said air film stream and has an aerodynamically formed interior surface with a trailing edge shaped to divert the travel of said strand and said air film stream.
 11. Apparatus as defined in claim 10 which further includes a plurality of fluid nozzle means communicating with said interior aerodynamic surface of said air foil surface means for selectively varying the air pressure on said aerodynamic surface.
 12. Apparatus for uniformly distributing a plurality of glass fiber strands on a collecting surface in a uniform matlike mass comprising a moving collecting surface, means for delivering each strand along a linear path to a diversion station including means for imparting kinetic energy to each of said plurality of strands to provide each of said plurality of strands with a linear velocity in spaced and substantially parallel relationship with respect to each other, the linear velocity of each strand being sufficient to carry each strand to a selected deposition point on said collecting surface after passing said diversion station, each of said strands having an air film stream surrounding and traveling with said straNd, said diversion station including air foil surface means positioned adjacent but not touching a plane defined by said substantially parallel strands for diverting the travel of said strands without mechanical impingement through reaction between said air film streams and an aerodynamically shaped strand adjacent surface formed on said air foil means and having a trailing edge influencing the direction of travel of said air film streams and the strands therein to selected deposition points on said collecting surface.
 13. Apparatus as defined in claim 12 which further includes control means for selectively varying air pressure on the aerodynamic surface of said air foil means adjacent said plurality of strands and their surrounding air film streams to vary the degree of diversion of travel of said strands.
 14. Apparatus as defined in claim 12 in which said trailing edge portion of said aerodynamic surface is shaped to vary the angle of attack and thus the amount of reaction between each of said air film streams of each of said plurality of strands and said air foil means, thereby depositing each of said strands at a different selected deposition area on said collecting surface.
 15. Apparatus for uniformly distributing a plurality of glass fiber strands in a uniform matlike mass on a collecting surface comprising a moving collecting surface, means for delivering each strand along a linear path past a diverting station including means for imparting kinetic energy to each of said plurality of strands to provide each of said plurality of strands with a linear velocity toward said collecting surface in spaced relationship with said other strands, the linear velocity of each strand being sufficient to carry each strand to a selected deposition point on said collecting surface after passing said diverting station, said diverting station including fluid nozzle means between said kinetic energy imparting means and said collecting surface for projecting strand diverting streams at said plurality of strands to divert the path of travel of each strand in cooperation with the linear velocity thereof and without mechanical impingement to a selected deposition point on said collecting surface.
 16. Apparatus as defined in claim 15 which further includes control means for modulating the flow of fluid to said nozzle means, thereby modulating the amount of diversion of the paths of travel of said strands.
 17. Apparatus as defined in claim 15 in which said fluid nozzle means comprises a plenum chamber and a plurality of stream shaping jet means communicating with said chamber.
 18. Apparatus as defined in claim 17 in which said fluid nozzle means further includes a screen means positioned between said plenum and said jet to smooth turbulence in said fluid.
 19. Apparatus as defined in claim 17 in which said fluid nozzle means further includes means for regulating the flow of fluid between said plenum and said jet means.
 20. Apparatus as defined in claim 19 in which said regulating means comprises removably securable plate means having flow controlling orifice means formed therein.
 21. Apparatus as defined in claim 17 in which said stream shaping jet means includes a plurality of vanes for directing the flow of fluid.
 22. Apparatus as defined in claim 15 in which said fluid nozzle means comprises means for projecting a plurality of diverting streams at different angles with respect to a plane defined by a plurality of substantially parallel strands to provide differing amounts of diversion for each of said plurality of strands.
 23. Apparatus for uniformly distributing a plurality of glass fiber strands on a collecting surface comprising a moving collecting surface, means for delivering each strand along a linear path to a diversion station including means for imparting kinetic energy to each of said plurality of strands to provide each of said plurality of strands with a linear velocity toward said collecting surface in spaced and substantially parallel relationshIp, the linear velocity imparted to each strand being sufficient to carry each strand to a selected deposition area after passing said diversion station, said diversion station including a pair of fluid nozzle means positioned on opposite sides of a plane defined by said parallel strands for projecting fluid streams to divert the path of travel of each of said strands in cooperation with the linear velocity thereof and without mechanical impingement so that each said strand has linear velocity after said diversion to carry it accurately in the diverted direction to said selected deposition area on said collecting surface.
 24. Apparatus as defined in claim 23 which further includes means for controlling the flow from said pair of fluid nozzle means to control the amount of diversion of said strands.
 25. Apparatus as defined in claim 23 in which each of said pair of fluid nozzle means defines a substantially planar area by projecting a plurality of substantially parallel streams at said plurality of strands.
 26. Apparatus as defined in claim 25 in which said pair of fluid nozzle means are aligned on opposite sides of said strands so that at least part of said streams projected by each of said nozzles meet to provide a resultant force to apply to at least part of said strands to obtain the amount of diversion desired.
 27. Apparatus as defined in claim 23 which further includes means for controlling the flow of said streams from one of said nozzle means.
 28. Apparatus as defined in claim 23 which further includes means for selectively varying the flow of said streams from each of said nozzle means.
 29. Apparatus as defined in claim 23 in which each of said nozzle means comprises a plenum chamber having an elongated nozzle opening and means for regulating the flow along the length of said elongated nozzle opening.
 30. Apparatus as defined in claim 29 in which said regulating means comprises a plate having graduated orifice means formed therein.
 31. A method for uniformly distributing a plurality of strands in a matlike array on a collecting surface comprising the steps of delivering each of said strands along a linear path to a diversion point while imparting kinetic energy to each of said strands to provide each of said strands with a preselected linear velocity past said diversion point toward said collecting surface, and applying aerodynamic forces to said strands for diverting the travel of each individual strand with respect to the remainder of the strands at said diversion point solely by aerodynamic pressure influence on said strands and without mechanical impingement diversion to deposit said plurality of strands at a like plurality of different selected areas on said collecting surface.
 32. A method as defined in claim 31 which further includes the step of increasing and decreasing the amount of said aerodynamic pressure force diversion on said strands to obtain a sweeping distribution of said strands on said collecting surface. 